PEACE CORPS IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

56expanded menu of options, including a series of question-based links, such as, “What isthe Peace Corps?” “Who volunteers?” “What do volunteers do?” This menu is meant forpeople interested in joining the organization. After being directed to the web site by aPSA or through general interest, the potential volunteer would find information in thisseries of links. It quickly directs the user to a particular part of the site; each of theselinks opens into a series of more specific links and recruitment information. Whereas therecruitment rhetoric in the PSAs might be indirect, the Peace Corps web site is full ofspecific information guiding the viewer toward a decision to join.Since recruitment rhetoric is at the heart of this chapter, I analyzed the rhetoricused on the web site and found that the Peace Corps has segmented its recruitment pagesinto five areas. First, there is general recruitment information, which is intended for thewhite, middle-class volunteer. Secondly, the site targets its rhetoric toward potentialvolunteers without bachelor’s degrees. The third target group are those future volunteersin transition from one career to the next: the potential volunteer at the brink of a lifechange. The fourth segment addresses its recruitment rhetoric toward older Americans.Finally, the most developed recruitment strategies are those that target “people of color.”General RecruitmentGeneral recruitment rhetoric focuses on post-service benefits. It places littleemphasis on the emotional and psychological benefits of volunteering; rather mostrhetorical attention is spent on monetary and professional benefits. Today, the PeaceCorps touts itself as an excellent way to better chances for graduate education or higherincome jobs. Volunteers know that being able to list this service on their résumé is a